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Fernandina Beach mayor says Pride festival will go on despite public criticism

Residents of Fernandina Beach voiced their opposing comments on an annual pride parade and festival during the city's council meeting Tuesday.

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — Despite not being on the agenda, Tuesday's Fernandina Beach city council meeting kicked off with a hot topic of discussion.

Members of the community asked city commissioners to rescind or limit the permit for the annual Fernandina Beach Pride festival, believing that it violates city and state laws. However, Fernandina Beach Mayor Bradley Bean gave support for the festival planned next month.

"This permit has already been approved and there's not going to be a 'kid zone,'" Bean announced at the beginning of the meeting.

Jack Knocke, executive director of Citizens Defending Freedom-Nassau, was an attendee at Tuesday's meeting, according to the Florida Politics. He fears that having the festival take place in a 'kid zone,' is bad because it exposes LGBTQ+ material to children.

It is unclear whether the decision upheld in the meeting will have any further implications on the future location of the annual event.

The festival will take place at 1200 Atlantic Avenue on June 10.

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